Marion county public health department initiative to address covid-19 health disparities - health and hospital corporation of marion county d/b/a marion county public health department (mcphd)…

Marion county public health department initiative to address covid-19 health disparities - health and hospital corporation of marion county d/b/a marion county public health department (mcphd) requests funding to support strategies to address covid-19 health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities. Mcphd will establish a public health emergency preparedness (phep) center that will focus on covid-19 prevention and mitigation as well as building infrastructure for future public health emergencies. The mcphd phep center will focus on six components: 1) contract tracing, 2) wrap-around services, 3) isolation and quarantine, 4) increased testing and vaccination, 5) data collection and improvement strategies, and 6) capacity and infrastructure. Funding from CDC will be used to address the needs of individuals impacted by covid-19, evaluate the effectiveness of program activities; and work with various organizations to assess the needs of the community, identify gaps in services, assist community-based organizations in building infrastructure, and establish a strategic plan for future public health emergencies. Anticipated outcomes of the proposed project include the following: 1) increased contact tracing and identification of individuals diagnosed and exposed to covid-19 in the targeted population. 2)increased access to wrap-around services, including substance use and mental health services, for individuals in the target population who are diagnosed or exposed to covid-19. 3)increased support services for individuals in the target population who are forced to isolate or quarantine due to diagnosis or exposure to covid-19. 4)increased covid-19 testing and vaccination.5)improved data collection and analysis.6)improved strategies and infrastructure for respond to public health emergencies in marion county.